Kate Gadsby's book Convicts Capitalists and Corruption reveals settlement story

Mrs Gadsby spent 20 years researching the history of Nubrygyn, 40 kilometres north of Orange.

The self-published book includes the stories of the early settlers, convicts and Aboriginals who lived in the un-policed areas of Nubrygyn and the Wellington Valley convict settlement.

"Nubrygyn, halfway between Bathurst and Wellington on the northern side of Orange, was over run by bushrangers," Mrs Gadsby said.

"It's so important how the area was settled between Bathurst and Wellington Valley, it's the story of the stock stations.

"It's a very early history that's never been done before and explains a huge amount.

"Although it's before Orange was set up it should have an interest. it's all relevant to the Orange district."

Among the people who are featured is Thomas Kite who came to Australia as a convict on board the Fortune and who made his own fortune as a pastoralist, and who Kite Street is named after.

Mrs Gadsby said she initially started her research when she was trying to have a historic inn at Nubrygyn heritage listed.

"It was held up by Ben Hall in 1865," she said.

"It was one of the last hold ups before he was killed."

Mrs Gadsby said Nubrygyn is also home to two of the oldest surviving mud brick buildings in Australia.

Mrs Gadsby found herself with a wealth of information once the heritage listing was achieved five years ago. She had surveyors maps from 1825 and information and images of the early settlers, convicts and Aboriginals so she spent the last four years putting the book together while continuing to work on the farm at Nubrygyn.

"We hear about Oxley, we hear about Sturt but we never hear about the people underneath them or the Aboriginals who went with them and showed them how to survive," Mrs Gadsby said.

Mrs Gadsby has already had to send more copies of Convicts Capitalists and Corruption to Collins Booksellers in Orange and it has been equally popular at book shops in Dubbo and Bathurst.